The win – their second in five days – lifts Hungary into second place behind Netherlands and raises their hopes of a first World Cup qualification since 1986. It was a victory that seemed anything but certain when Mevlüt Erdinç gave Turkey the lead after 22 minutes but Vladimir Koman equalised nine minutes later, Szalai made it 2-1 five minutes after the break and Gera's penalty then capped a memorable night.

The hosts struggled to assert themselves early on as Turkey dominated. A free-kick from Hamit Altıntop fizzed just over after eight minutes and Hungary defender Tamás Kádár then almost headed into his own net. The pressure finally told midway through the half when Caner Erkin's cross found Mevlüt whose touch squeezed the ball past goalkeeper Ádám Bogdán.

Hungary's fortunes turned when Koman's speculative long-range effort flew past visiting goalkeeper Volkan Demirel. Sándor Egervári's men duly moved through the gears before half-time and carried their momentum into the second period. Five minutes in, playmaker Tamás Hajnal won possession in midfield and released Koman on the left and his centre was turned in by Szalai.

Hajnal, who had scored the only goal in Hungary's win against Estonia on Friday, came to the fore again. An inswinging cross from the VfB Stuttgart midfielder led to Hamit upending Szalai in the area and Gera sealed the points with a coolly-taken penalty. Hungary now have nine points from four matches in second place; Turkey, by contrast, have just three points, and plenty of work to do.

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